Freaky Friday
by A3shFaerie
Summary: Sanji gets sick and when the ship is raided he is forced to fight—but his illness causes him to almost drown. What happens when the "Freaky Friday effect" comes into play? is probably AU... WARNINGS: heavy, heavy angst and implied ZoSan (without the smut, but there are some graphic terms...? i think lol)
1. The Switch (Edited)

It was a perfectly normal day on the Thousand Sunny. The sun was shining bright and there wasn't a cloud in the sky. Zoro and Sanji were having their latest fight—over what, no one could tell. They'd fight over anything, after all. Nami was drawing maps, Robin was reading books, Franky was being his normal "super" self, Luffy was sitting on top of the lion's head and watching the fight, Chopper was studying textbooks and wondering how in the world he was going to get the crew to participate in their monthly check ups, Brook was playing his guitar, and Usopp was on watch duty.

A storm that would interrupt their more peaceful than usual day was brewing just on the tip of the horizon. Nami couldn't feel it just yet, but by dinnertime she would know of the decrease in pressure and finally take notice of that ominous feeling in her gut.

Sanji was vaguely aware something was amiss, but he decided to ignore it and just concentrate on his fight with Zoro. Neither of them were winning, by the way.

_Thunk. Pow. Thud. CRASH._ These sounds were annoying Nami, and surprisingly, the rest of the crew to no end. When the bits and pieces of their argument were more intelligible…that was the last straw.

"WILL YOU GUYS BREAK IT UP?!" The rest of the crew shouted at Zoro and Sanji.

They stopped. Sanji was mid-kick, and Zoro was in mid-slice. They drew away from each other, grumbling.

"Shitty swordsman."

"Idiot-cook."

"WHAT DID YOU CALL ME?!" They said.

Luffy jumped off the lion's head, walked in between the two brawling idiots, stretched out his arms, and pushed them away from each other.

"Guys…shut up already! You're givin me—_me_—a killer headache."

They muttered something. Luffy seemed satisfied now though, so he left them alone and went to join Usopp in the crow's nest.

Fortunately, the two men backed off. Deciding they'd save it for another day. Zoro went to take a nap somewhere and Sanji headed to the galley. Sanji sneezed. It took a moment to register that he had, in fact, sneezed. With him…a sneeze was never a good sign. Sanji denied the fact the sneeze had ever happened and went on with his daily routine.

A few hours later, around dinnertime, Sanji was feeling considerably worse and doing his best not to show a thing. Nami had no time to notice Sanji's change in behavior—no. She was far too worried about the storm fast approaching them to do that.

Zoro noticed, though. He saw how Sanji clutched the handle of his knife just a smidge tighter. He saw how Sanji's skin looked paler than usual against the vegetables he was cutting. Zoro noticed that Sanji's posture was tense—strained even. Zoro watched Sanji who looked to be more careful and observant of his cooking, instead of like it was second nature, which was the usual behavior.

He wondered what Sanji could be hiding. Perhaps it was simply a headache, Zoro thought, maybe he was tired—the latter reasoning satisfied him and Zoro continued eating as though he hadn't seen anything.

"A storm is coming, guys."

Luffy groaned. "Another one? NO FUN! We won't be able to play!"

The other pirates sighed and mentally face-palmed. Of course that's all Luffy cared about. Other than meat and food, that is.

Sanji was spacing out, but he heard Nami mention the storm. _Shit_, he thought, _this oughta do wonders for my cold—or whatever it is._ Sanji stared dazedly out the window. It smelled like rain and danger. The tides were loud and large, impossible to mistake as regular. Sanji closed his eyes to fight off an oncoming throb behind his temples and the wave of nausea that came with it. He sighed softly.

"Oi." A voice came from behind.

Sanji jumped a tiny bit, surprised. He turned his head to look Zoro in the eye.

"What do you want, Marimo?" Sanji smirked.

Zoro narrowed his eyes and furrowed his brows. "Why aren't you resting?"

Sanji's eyes widened in astonishment; the question had caught him off guard. "W-what? What kind of nonsense are you spouting now, shitty swordsman?"

Zoro frowned. "Whatever, love cook." And with that Zoro left the galley, and Sanji, alone.

Sanji let out a breath he didn't know he'd been holding. If Zoro found out he was sick he would never hear the end of it.

A wave rocked the ship. Sanji lurched to the side. Too much more of that and Sunny would be engulfed by the waves. He rushed out on deck and took a look around. As he had feared, the ship's deck was flooded with water and it was pouring rain. The ship tipped to its side violently and Sanji lost his footing.

"SHIT!" he cursed. Sanji slid down the now diagonal deck, fell onto the rail (_fun fact: a bulwark is that wooden, short wall-like thing surrounding the ship and the rail goes over the top! Hehe~ I learned something new~)_ and grabbed hold. He was completely over the side of the ship.

"Damnit!" He was slipping and unable to pull himself up over the rail, due to the onslaught of raging water.

Luckily, Nami decided to come out at that moment. When she saw Sanji struggling to get over, she screamed and ran for him. Zoro and Luffy heard and rushed out on deck.

Their eyes widened. "SANJI!"

Zoro ran to the blonde and grabbed onto Sanji's arm. Another wave crashed over the deck, threatening Zoro's hold on Sanji. As Sunny tipped precariously again, Zoro's grip loosened only slightly. But it was enough once another wave hit the Thousand Sunny good and hard. Sanji plummeted down into the water.

Zoro cried out, enraged. He grabbed a rope from around the mast, tied it to his waist, and jumped overboard.

Sanji was only a few feet away, struggling to stay afloat. He was gasping for breath and being forced under the water's surface over and over again. Zoro reached out and wrapped an arm around Sanji's middle, the other grabbed hold of their lifeline.

"LUFFY! PULL US UP! NOW!" Zoro yelled over the thunderous tide.

The answer came as a tug, and then they were flying over the bulwark and onto the deck of the Sunny. Zoro's chest heaved with effort, and he looked over to check on Sanji, but when he saw that Sanji wasn't moving, he lifted him up slightly and tapped Sanji's face.

"Sanji! Sanji, wake up, Ero-cook!"

Sanji did not move. "Chopper! CHOPPER! Get out here!" Luffy called for their reindeer doctor.

Chopper dashed out of the hold and saw Sanji. Chopper eyes grew big. "Oh no…Sanji!" Chopper ran to Sanji's side and told Zoro to do CPR while he looked over Sanji's body for any wounds.

Zoro squeezed Sanji's nose shut, bent down, and forced air into his lungs. After three more times of giving Sanji air, Sanji jolted forward into a sitting position and coughed out so much water he was choking. Chopper slapped Sanji's back to hopefully help the water out quicker so Sanji could breathe.

After what seemed like ages, Sanji's lungs were finally clear. He sat there in the swordsman's lap, cradled against Zoro's chest.

"H-heh. Thanks, shitty swordsman," Sanji smiled crookedly. His body went limp again.

Zoro panicked and felt the cook's head. It was like touching a furnace.

"Chopper, he's burning up!"

"What?! Bring him inside quickly!"

Sanji was placed on a cot and Chopper began putting him on an IV. He was officially down for the count.

Suddenly there was thunder and multiple lightning strikes all at once. Their ship creaked and moaned in protest. The world was still as a white light covered the sea like fog and blinded the whole crew.

*~xXx~*

The world was a deep grey, filled with sorrow and anguish. Clouds littered the skies, heavy and dull. The smell of rain was in the air and a small breeze was beginning to pick up. Death's presence could be felt everywhere.

The funeral procession moved forward in small steps, as if in slow motion. Black adorned every body. Some wore hats or veils that covered their faces, but the tears running down their cheeks were unmistakable.

Another death—another life taken before it was ready. The footsteps came down heavily on the gravel. The steps came back as an echo. As if this place weren't haunted enough already, the constant echoing of footsteps made it worse.

These grief-stricken times had touched everybody. This time, it had hurt a lot of people. Eight directly, and whoever else she had met along the way. She, too, had been taken by the illness.

Sanji didn't know what to do. He walked with everyone else, memories playing through his head like a movie, but no matter what he tried—he just couldn't cry. Usopp, Luffy, Franky, Brook, and Chopper were though. And now that he got a good look—the first one he'd gotten in a long time—at Zoro, he could see that he wasn't crying either and neither was Luffy or Robin.

The only way life could get any crueler is if it took his hands…or the rest of his nakama. Sanji's and Zoro's relationship had escalated to lovers some time ago, about ten years, maybe. Five years ago, they'd gotten married. They were still "together", if you could even call it that.

They hadn't had a decent conversation in weeks; there was constant fighting whenever they did talk. They both had no time to themselves, they were watching people die left and right, and they hadn't even kissed. The last time they had was probably six months ago. Now Sanji was spending more and more time by himself and Zoro spent most of his time drinking and being unfaithful. Which was odd, all things considered. It was like the man was an entirely different person.

To mince words, their relationship had gone to crap. They didn't even live together anymore. Sanji was a train wreck and Zoro was fed up. All of their friends thought there was no way in hell their relationship, or even friendship for that matter, could ever be repaired.

They were right. Until…

Sanji and Zoro had run into each other on the road not too long after the funeral. They'd decided to get something to eat together. Sanji gave a sad smile. The last time they'd had a date was a year ago. It made him want to cry—scratch that—it HAD made him cry, but not recently. It was almost like Sanji's tear-ducts were all dried up. Or maybe it was just his heart that was dried up.

The only time they spoke was to give the waiter their orders. The café was quaint with its light wooden floors, wooden barstools, and classic booths. The atmosphere pleasant and cheerful; one of the few places left like that.

After an excruciatingly long and awkward silence, Sanji finally spoke up:

"Zoro…listen…we need to talk."

Zoro turned his head away from the window to face Sanji.

God how Sanji missed those eyes staring into his! It shattered his heart and made what he had to say—_needed_ to say—so much more difficult.

Zoro squinted at him. "What?" He asked in that dull, uncaring voice Sanji had been well acquainted with recently. It made Sanji's heart drop to the floor.

He missed hearing that voice too. Why was life so cruel? Why did his heart hold on to some false hope that Zoro still loved him?

"Look…I—"

The restaurant shook violently. Plates crashed to the floor, lights threatened to fall, and windows vibrated with the intensity of the shake. A concerned voice reverberated throughout the café.

"EVERYBODY DOWN! UNDER THE TABLES! TAKE COVER!"

A panicked voice shouted back:

"EARTHQUAKE!"

The shaking grew worse and Sanji could feel the earth's crust shifting below his feet. He heard a snapping sound and looked up to realize he had moved from his chair too late. The light would hit him.

A white flash broke through the windows, freezing everyone's eyes. But Sanji, with his back to the windows, had managed to see emotion on Zoro's face, and he smiled. Even if it would only be one last time.

*~xXx~*

* * *

Zoro couldn't believe it. Truthfully, when Sanji said they'd needed to talk…he agreed, but that didn't mean he wanted to do it. The earthquake, Zoro thought, was sort of his "saved by the bell". In a way it had saved him, but it had also taken a precious person from him. Zoro was unable to move and breathe when he saw the light fixture fall onto Sanji.

The adrenaline was pumping through his veins as knelt by Sanji, praying that nothing was too serious. Damn. He really wanted to know what the cook wanted to say. Why he'd had that look on his face. Then, he really wished they hadn't drifted so far apart.

"Sanji. Sanji!" Zoro's voice was low, begging. He couldn't stand the thought of having to bury another loved one today.

Sanji didn't move. Blood was pooling beneath Sanji's head. Zoro willed himself not to cry. He didn't have the right to care after what he'd done. Maybe if he'd loved Sanji like this all along…he wouldn't be gone.

The ambulance came to take all the wounded away. Zoro rode with Sanji to the hospital. Barely heard the doctor when he announced Sanji was in a coma. All he could think about was how he was going to tell Luffy.

In the last year Luffy had grown more than just a little disappointed in Zoro. Zoro had never seen the man so angry when he'd found out how Zoro wronged Sanji. The captain had taken Sanji's side of course, because even though the cook flirted, he was never—ever—unfaithful. Mind you, as Sanji became older his flirting lessened ever further, something that had already diminished since he'd married Zoro. Now, he barely even gave a woman the time of day.

Zoro took out his cell phone and calmly dialed Luffy's number.

_"Hello? Zoro? What's up? Did you feel that crazyyy earthquake? It shook everything up!"_

Zoro gulped, his throat dry.

"Luffy. I—" Zoro could tell that he had Luffy's attention now. "—I'm sorry." He lowered his head in shame, even though he knew Luffy couldn't see it.

_"…What did you do, Zoro?"_ His captain's voice was cold.

Zoro clenched his jaw. "I—I didn't—he just—" his voice broke, "…I couldn't protect him, Luffy."

_"Are you talking about Sanji? What happened?"_

"He…Sanji…the earthquake…we were in a restaurant having lunch, then the earthquake happened and Sanji—Sanji—Sanji's_ hurt_, Luffy. A light fell on him. He's in a coma…what have I done? Why did we ever stop talking? Why couldn't I have loved him like I do now? Luffy, I—"

_"What~ so it wasn't your fault! Geez, Zoro, don't be so hard on yourself."_

"But I was right there! I saw the light and I couldn't move! I was…frozen."

_"Zoro, just because you couldn't do anything doesn't mean you were at fault. And back up—what do you mean why did you stop talking? It's pretty obvious, Zoro."_

"What…?" Zoro scrunched up his nose. He didn't understand any of this. "Luffy…I don't get it…"

_"Of course you don't get it. You're the one who cheated, you won't understand what that meant for Sanji."_

"What? Luffy, I need to make it right! Please, tell me what it means!" Zoro realized he was begging. He also realized that he didn't care. This was one mistake he really, really needed to fix.

_"…Wait…Sanji, didn't tell you?"_

"Tell me what? No, he was about to when—when the—the earthquake…"

_"Zoro…Sanji was…Listen, don't tell Sanji I told you, okay?"_

"Why…?"

_"Sanji was going to end things with you."_

Zoro's eyes widened. He was going to what…? Zoro slumped down onto the hospital couch in shock. Zoro thought to the conversation before the earthquake. _"Zoro…Listen…we need to talk."_ Was this what he was going to say? Would Zoro even get the chance to talk to him again? And more importantly…would Sanji forgive him?

"He was…" Zoro chuckled bitterly, "Do you think he can forgive me?"

_"You are such an idiot, Zoro. If he didn't forgive you then why in the hell did he stay WITH you all those years?"_

Zoro couldn't answer that question. It was a mystery to him too. Zoro answered honestly, "I have no idea."

Luffy huffed in disbelief on the other line. _"Unbelievable. Nami, tell—" _the captain stopped himself and his breath caught in his throat.

"Oh, Luffy…I'm so sorry…I know you two just got engaged…"

Luffy's voice cracked. _"Zoro…listen, if there's one thing I gotta teach ya it's this: you don't know how much you love a person until they're gone. So…take it from me, okay? If you don't make this right," _the boy sniffed and tears started to flow (Zoro could tell), _"I'll kick your ass."_ Luffy hung up.

Zoro smiled a sad, sad smile. Zoro had always thought that Luffy and Nami made a good couple, when he found out they were engaged he couldn't be happier for the two. Nami had that "glow", whatever people said came from pre-marriage, and she was planning the wedding already. He'd even seen that small piece of paper with the elegant script reading: Luffy & Nami, Groom & Bride.

Robin even chipped in to help Nami plan her wedding, since Robin herself had married Franky a few years back. Kaya, Nojiko (Nami's sister), and Vivi had all been ecstatic that they were asked to the bridesmaids; Robin of course was the matron of honor. Ace was to be Luffy's best man and all the other groomsmen were Zoro, Usopp, and Chopper. Franky and Sanji had decided they'd much rather watch. Brook, of course, would be the musician for the evening.

However…six days before the wedding, Nami caught the disease. No one has survived the disease yet, and most don't last more than two days. Nami held on for three. She passed away shortly thereafter. The crew had been heartbroken, but none were as hurt as Luffy.

Two days from now the wedding would've taken place. Luffy hadn't eaten since the day before yesterday. Because yesterday, he'd held his fiancé's hand until her heart of gold stopped pumping. It broke Zoro's heart just thinking about it. How Luffy must've sat there with her, as she was saying her last words, and then just slipped away. It must've been terrible.

Zoro hung his head in shame. How could he have done that to Sanji? If what Sanji had gone through had been anything like the heartbreak Luffy felt in that moment…Zoro didn't think he'd be able to live with himself.

The doctor emerged from Sanji's hospital room again.

"Mr. Roronoa," she called.

Zoro stood and walked over to her. "Yes?"

The doctor frowned. "Are…you his significant other?"

It was a perfectly logical question. After all, there were quite a fair number of gay people in this world and this society had come to accept them by now.

Zoro had never felt so guilty in his life. He hesitated. "Yes."

The woman looked at him with such sorrow in her eyes that he knew immediately that something was terribly wrong. "What is it?" he choked out. Not sure if he even wanted to know.

"Sanji…has permanent brain damage…" she said slowly and lowered her eyes, "and…the chances…the chances of him waking up are astronomically small…I'm so sorry." The doctor bowed her head and left Zoro alone.

He went into the small, white room and sat down in the chair at Sanji's bedside. He picked up Sanji's hand and held it tightly within his own.

"Sanji," he whispered, "I'm sorry. So sorry." And then, he cried.

*~xXx~*

_It was dark, and cold. Sanji had never felt so cold in his life. Not since that deserted island anyway. Sanji struggled to open his eyes. Why wouldn't they open…? He'd only fallen into the ocean right? So why in the hell was he not waking up? _

_His eyes opened painstakingly slow, as if coated in glue. The room, or wherever he was, was dark, but he could sense another's presence there with him. The presence was frighteningly similar to his own, if not the same. Sanji looked to his left and sure enough he could see just well enough to make out a body. _

_Sanji sat up, his joints popping and creaking from disuse. He turned his stiff neck to the body once more._

_"Hello?" His voice cracked._

_The body didn't move. Not even a little bit. Not a flinch or even an exhale or inhale. Sanji's first thought was: corpse. It had to be. If it wasn't then what the fuck was it?_

_Sanji crawled to the body. He felt for a pulse, he found one, but it was scarily weak. Sanji ran his hands over the man's face. He came across hair. Finding that incredibly strange, Sanji followed it to the top of the head, to the left ear, to the neck, and finally landing on the chin. Sanji's heart beat erratically in his chest. It couldn't be. It just…couldn't be. Either this person's hairstyle was a striking copy of his own…or this was another SANJI. The thought was terrifying._

_Sanji bent closer to the man's face hoping to smell something—anything. The man smelt like Zoro, spices, and medicine. What a strange combination, Sanji thought. _

_"You're tellin' me." A voice came from out of nowhere._

_Sanji jumped away from the man. His senses on fire and thoroughly spooked. _

_"Who…? Who said that?" _

_"I didn't SAY anything. I thought it. I suppose we're communicating via minds."_

_The voice was a complete reflection of Sanji's own. It was unnerving._

_"Are you…me?"_

_"Technically: I am you and you are me. We are one and the same, but different."_

_"How do you know that?" Sanji asked bewildered._

_"Read it in some parallel universe book once. Never thought the shit it talked about would be real. Man, do I believe it now."_

_"So…we're the same person…what's wrong with you, by the way? You're like a corpse."_

_"Better off as one," the voice said with such sorrow and PAIN that Sanji had a difficult time believing it was himself._

_"Better…?"_

_"Listen, we're about to switch places in a few minutes; something called 'The Freaky Friday' effect, okay? I need to tell you about my world—and you yours—so we don't fuck each other's worlds up and have a Butterfly Effect, or worse a paradox, on our hands."_

_"Okay, I'm all ears."_

_"I'm sure you know of Zoro?" the pirate Sanji nodded. "Good. Because in my world we're in a fucked up relationship."_

_"Relationship…?"_

_"Yes, as in…romantic. Don't make that face; it's not that strange if you think about it. So basically there's this horrible disease going around—street name is DS—and it's killing thousands, maybe even millions, every week. Once you get infected it's the same thing as getting a death sentence. DS stands for death sentence. So, Nami just passed away and left Luffy a widower." _

_"Wait—they're married?"_

_"Three days away from it, yeah. Alright moving on: Zoro is one hell of a motherfucker in my world. He cheats, and he doesn't even realize he's doing something WRONG. Not until someone tells him it's wrong."_

_"He CHEATS…as in…on you?"_

_"Yes. Again—don't make that face it makes me want to kick you. If anything you should feel angry—you're about to me in my shoes after all. Also: Robin and Franky are married; Kaya and Usopp are engaged, and Brook has a girlfriend, Chopper and Vivi are also dating."_

_Pirate Sanji snorted and laughed uncontrollably. "T-that REINDEER and VIVI are dating?! HAHAHA!" _

_"Reindeer? What the hell you talking about?"_

_"…Doesn't Chopper have fur…? And isn't Brook a skeleton?"_

_"…No…they both have skin and normal appearances…Anyways Ace is still alive—before you ask how I knew: I read your mind."_

_"Read…my…mind…" Sanji couldn't wrap his ahead around that one. Sure he knew devil-fruits could do weird things but he'd NEVER heard of a mind-reading one. "Okay, but what about you? How do you act over there?"_

_The voice exhaled quietly and was silent for what seemed a long time. "Let's see, if I had to describe myself…I'd call myself…broken," the voice chuckled bitterly, "funny how love can kill you like that."_

_"Zoro cheated THAT much?" _

_"Yeah. Sometimes he even did it while I was still in the house."_

_"Holy shit! That's—"_

_"Horrible? Morally wrong? Get used to it. I need you to break things off with him over there for me while you're in my shoes. I can't…be with him anymore. I don't wanna leave 'im…but…I need him to love me like he used to…" For a moment Sanji could see the Voice's—his—face as he traveled back in time to a better place, filled with love and happiness. It was a dreamy look, but the voice had a sad note to it._

_"If he has even vaguely realized his mistake…don't forgive him, Sanji. Don't. I can't take any more heartbreak. Don't even give him a chance. Please…if he…I can't." The voice begged. And before Sanji could tell him that he'd be sure to, they switched places._

*~xXx~*

Sanji woke in a bed that looked startling like a cot. And the walls were wood. The dream came back to him like a sack of flour hitting him in the chest. So. This was the Thousand Sunny.

He sat up and settled comfortably against the pillows behind him. He was looking out the window when Chopper came in, and lost in his own thoughts, hadn't heard him come in.

"SANJIIIII!" The little reindeer ran at him full-speed ahead, and before Sanji could even fully turn around, he was tackled by FUR—and lots of it.

"What the hell…?" He said softly, distantly. Not at all like the Sanji this Chopper knew.

From the dream, he remembered Sanji saying something about Chopper being a reindeer. Guess he wasn't kidding. "Chopper…" the cook said gently and affectionately. He missed the kid's jovialness.

Chopper stiffened. "Sanji…?" The concerned doctor lifted his head and stared at Sanji questioningly.

Just then Luffy burst into the room having heard Chopper's shouts. He smiled a million-watt smile when he saw Sanji awake.

"GUYS! SANJI'S AWAKE!" The captain yelled cheerfully.

Franky, Usopp, Brook, and Nami all rushed into the room in a hurry, Zoro and Robin took the longest to join the crowd. Sanji visibly flinched when he saw Zoro, but quickly put up a mask to hide his feelings. Robin saw him flinch and was instantly intrigued by the odd behavior.

The crew, minus Zoro and Robin, were all talking over each other and making quite a fuss when Chopper yelled: "Everybody quiet!"

Sanji laughed very lightly. He looked to the back of the room and met Robin's eyes.

"Guys, I'm gonna have to ask you to leave for just a minute, okay? I need to talk to Robin." The crewmembers shrugged and left with not much of an argument. "No eavesdropping either!" He quickly added. He heard a bunch of boos and "awwwws" from behind the door, then heard all the feet shuffling away.

Robin knew. When Sanji hadn't called her Robin-chwan, or even Robin-chan, she'd known. This was not Sanji.

She sat down in the chair next to his bed and they stared at each other for a while.

Robin broke the silence, "who are you?"

Sanji gave a bitter smile, "I'm Sanji. Just…a different Sanji."

"So I noticed. How did you get here?"

"Switched places with him. Something my world calls 'The Freaky Friday effect'. I need your help."

Robin's eyes narrowed. "With…?"

"A disease, finding a cure."

Robin _hmm_ed. "Well, cook-san, wouldn't Chopper be a better choice?"

"Maybe. You're an archaeologist; you'd know if there'd been a type of disease like that here and if that disease came with a cure."

"Name of the disease?"

"The street name is DS."

Robin's eyes widened, briefly, in surprise. She'd heard of it all right. "I have come across it before," she stated simply.

"Do you remember the cure? Or the cause maybe?"

"No cure. The cause is from a certain plant—a flower. Its an ugly brown color and smells wretched. Should technically be more classified as a weed, but…anyhow the disease won't end until it makes its roundtrip. When the disease infects the plant—its own carrier— then it'll go away. The disease resides in the air, because when the plants release oxygen the infection is released with it."

Sanji nodded sullenly. "I see…gotta wait it out huh…" Sanji looked detestably at his hands.

"How different are you two?"

"He can fight. I cannot."

Robin looked at him, confused.

"…I no longer have that strength." The cook said forlornly.

"Why not?"

The cook gave a gruesome smile. "It was . . . drained out of me."

Robin narrowed her eyes. Not at all pleased with the answer.

"Elaborate please, cook-san."

Sanji closed his eyes and bent his head forward. "I can't do that." He looked back at Robin with such sorrow in his eyes that she didn't ask again.

"Fine, but can you at least still cook?"

Sanji gave a distant smile…a smile from the memories. "Not for a long time. But I remember."

"You didn't cook in your other world?" This visibly shocked Robin.

"No…I did…I just…haven't in a while is all."

"Why? It's your passion, is it not?"

"It's…complicated. I was a really screwed up person there."

Robin arched an eyebrow. "Then, would you care to explain your… discord with Swordsman-san?"

Sanji sighed, weary. "It's a long story."

Robin studied him for a moment. "You had a grave conflict with the Zoro from your world."

Sanji winced with a half-hearted smile. "As perceptive as ever, Robin-chan. Yes…it was something like that. Though it's all that idiot's fault." Sanji spat in anger.

She raised a brow again, interested now. "Clarify, please?"

Sanji drew a long, shuddery breath. "In my world…Zoro and I are…a _thing_. You know, an item?"

Robin, being the smart lady she was, instantly understood. She grinned widely. It was bound to happen eventually. "Of course, cook-san. I know very well. Please continue."

Sanji threw her a side-glance. "Zoro, to say the least, is an asshole there. He's a lying swindler with an inability to keep his hands to himself. That fucking drunk." Sanji was on the verge of tears. Having to remember all those times he had come home to hear sounds coming from the bedroom…to go check and find that his lover was putting his hands on someone else…usually a woman. But, every once in a while, when Zoro was being especially cruel, he would bring home a male. Those particular days were the hardest.

_Sanji stood in the doorway of their shared bedroom. Tears threatened to fall. Sanji shouldn't have been surprised; he shouldn't have been shell-shocked. But he was, and his heart suffered for it. _

_"Zoro?" His strangled voice came out._

_Zoro lurched away from his latest lover. He turned to face Sanji with a deer-in-the-headlights look. Sanji heard him mutter "shit"._

_"What the hell are you doing, shitty swordsman?"_

_Zoro lip curled up in a snarl. "What does it look like?"_

_The lover sat up and looked Sanji in the face. "Fuck, Zoro. I thought you said you were single." The boy hurried out of the bed, threw on some pants, and was out the door in less than five minutes._

_Sanji turned a hurt look on Zoro. That boy had looked a hell of a lot like Luffy. _

_"Why?" Sanji locked his gaze onto his feet._

_"'Why'? Honestly, Sanji? I'm sick of you. You're annoying."_

_Sanji balked. "Wh-what? A-annoying? I—"_

_"Shut up, Sanji. Stop gaping. You look like an idiot."_

_Sanji gasped and then his rage-switch flipped. "**I** look like an idiot?! You're an unfaithful piece of shit and you have the gall to call **ME** an idiot?! You're the one who looks stupid! With your bringing home all these lovers and shit when you're **married** for God's sake! I—I—I HATE YOU, ZORO! JUST DROP DEAD YOU SON OF A BITCH! Don't bother coming back home after this! Get the fuck out! NOW!"_

_It had been the final straw. Before this…fifteen times…fifteen times Zoro had brought home a one-night stand. He had sex with fifteen other people in their **bedroom**. But, for what it's worth, Zoro did as was asked and left with a slam of the front door. And when he was gone…Sanji dropped to his knees and sobbed all night long. He didn't sleep. He didn't eat. And he didn't answer the phone with its persistent ringing. No…Sanji Roronoa had died._

Sanji snapped out of his memory to find tears sliding down his cheeks.

"Sanji-kun?" Robin asked more than a little concerned.

A sob escaped his throat and he dropped his head into his hands. "I…I love him…so much…and I just can't be with him…not anymore…because he…he doesn't love me." Sanji's tears rolled faster.

Robin looked at him with sympathy and pity. "I'm so sorry, Sanji-kun. Do you wish to tell me what happened?" She soothingly rubbed her hand along his back.

"He cheated on me. Cheated fifteen times within the course of five years. During our marriage." He sobbed again. "Who the hell knows how many times he cheated on me when we were just dating?" And that fact, more than any other, is what killed Sanji the most. For all Sanji knew, Zoro could have bedded at least 30 people by now.

"If I could change one thing about my life, just one thing," he said sadly, "I'd take back ever confessing to Zoro. So that way…I only suffer heartbreak once. Instead of fifteen."

**A/N: so… this is the redone chapter 1… dedicated to HappyMe-O cuz she got me off my lazy toosh to rewrite it xD now I'm aware that apparently some things have been causing minor confusion so here I shall explain:**

**Zoro is OOC for a VERY, VERY good reason. I don't like him unfaithful (-winces- something I HATE more than anything) any more than the next ZoSan lover, but I felt like the whole Sanji-would-so-cheat idea is overused… so i… improvised… -smirks- and made Zoro the cheater. Ah. That's only my inspiration. Not the actual reason. The actual reason will be revealed in later chapters. So you gotta keep readin~ ^^ muahahaha**

**ALSO**

***runs for cover* GOMEN-NASAI! GOMEN! GOMEN-NASAIIIII~! T.T I honestly almost cried while writing this...oh my word...its SO sad...GAH I TOLD YOU IT WAS ANGSTY! poor Sanji...pwease don't hurt me~**

**ROFL LOL I just figured out how to do the little line-y thing-y...all by myself! hehe i feel so proud XD nah seriously i had no idea i was all like "Ohhhh so THAT'S how you do the little line-y thing-y! XD lol"  
**

**ah... by the way. if you have ANY COMMENTS AT ALL-leave. it. in. a. review. honestly, how in the hell am i s'posed to know if you enjoyin' it if you don't flippin review?! 'scuse my improper language.**

**And holy chihuahua buckets this was a long ass chapter. 6,281 words. i didn't think i had it in me ROFL.**

**BUT SERIOUSLY. reveiw. you know you want to XD**


	2. Memories Part 1

Ch. 2

**A/N: **_**okay…so one thing I've changed this lil dobopper right here will be the tell-tale sign of what I'm gonna officially call: The Sanji Switch XP cuz I can muahahah :3 … it's this **_**~∞†∞~**

_**And *~xXx~* still means change of scene or whatever. I don't need to tell you—ya'll are smart.**_

_**Other than that….warnings: most likely gonna be severe angst cuz I'm in a VERY angsty mood. You should never give an angsty writer paper and pen…unless that's how they vent…otherwise lol you'll likely come across something SUPER (darn. I'm sounding like Franky already) tear-jerking. Hence: TEARJERKER AHEAD! READ AT OWN RISK OF TEARS! My heart bleeds for you Sanji~ T.T (no sarcasm or tiny violin playing intended) Also…OCness ahead. **_

_**Now…ONWARD~!**_

_**Oh right. Disclaimer: -.- man….do you honestly THINK Sanji would be goin thru this if I—oh. Don't answer that. Oda –is still holding grudge over the Ace thing- *growls***_

_**Oda: I'm sorry…**_

_**Me: GRRRRR**_

_**Oda: EEEP**_

_**Me: :D muahaha! Take that you evil…evil…Ace killer *growls* I shall revive him in this story! HA! Take that evil mangaka!**_

_**Sanji: um…Miss….if you wouldn't mind…**_

_**Me: of course Sanji dear we can move on to your misery now. **_

_**Sanji: …..**_

—**REVIEW RESPONSES—**

**ajwehri****: D'AWWWWWW THANK YOU M'DEAR! :D your review honestly made my day hahaha I'm soooo glad you like it this much! ^^ well! Here it is! NEW CHAPPIE!**

**CaelumXIV: Of course I shall continue! ;) as long as I get reviews there'll always be a chapter. I'm glad you're curious! Means I'm doin my job tehehe! Oh. Well. Yes. He's OOC on purpose. SHHHH don't tell anyone! XD Japanese…oh. Would you look at that. LOL I didn't even know I put that in there bahaha I'm sorry, dearsie, force of habit I suppose. Hahah I read to much manga XD thank you for telling me~! Haha. Skip details…? Which ones ****(I honestly wanna know haha)? Oh. The bandages. XDDD That was accidental HAHAHA! MY BAD. I don't even know how that got in there. I'm sorry for the confusion! THANKS FOR THE COMPLIMENT! :DD makes me happy~ Hehe~**

**Drakona Fuyu: Shishishishishi of course there is~!**

**Vague Gravitation: HIIIIII! :D hehe not a big fan? D: NO! (jk haha) awww~ stop it~ you make me blush~ ^/^ thank you~ tehe ^^ lol I love how you love it even though you don't like the anime XD**

**MagpieRkcl: WOOOO! Glad you loved it, darlin! ^^ hehe~ don't worry I like Angstville too xD well wait no longer! Here it is~!**

**27CansOfTuna: First of all, as you're my first reviewer you get. . . VOILA! CYBER COOKIES! And a hug. XD –huggles- thank you! :D …aw you cried? :( well means I did my job! :D D'awwww! You think I have good writing~ thank youuuu~ **

**THANK YOU TO ALL REVIEWERS!**

_**I HAST RAMBLETH! DOST THEE FORGIVETH ME?! No? Oh welleth. Read my good people.**_

**~∞†∞~**

Sanji woke to a pale, bland light blue room decorated with machines. Some machines looked like the ones Chopper used, most were unfamiliar and more than a little ominous. Sanji rose to sit up into a more comfortable position. He then moved to get up, feeling as light as air. He felt a strange pulling sensation from his abdomen and turned to see what it was.

He gasped. That couldn't possibly be normal. His hand—scratch that—his entire body was completely transparent and he could still see his solid body. Could he really be…a…a…a ghost? He shivered; the thought irked him. He floated away from the bed and ruffled his hair. A soft snore caught his attention.

There was Zoro in all his bastardly glory, sitting with his head resting on Sanji's bed looking like an innocent angel. The pirate Sanji hissed. He was VERY pissed off. The moss-head in this world was an every bigger ass than in the pirate one. Oh Sanji was so going to kill this bastard as soon as he could figure out what in the hell was wrong with his body…

A nurse came in. Sanji hummed in appreciation for the lovely lady. The nurse looked down sadly at his body. Sanji cocked his head in confusion. What was up with that…? Was there something wrong with him?

"Such a sad story this young man has…I think it'd be a lot better if he never woke up…Don't you think, Molly?"

"Yeah…the poor man deserves some peace. But that idiot sleeping there should get his ass kicked."

Sanji shook his head in full agreement. Stupid Marimo. Sanji decided he rather liked these two ladies and went about following them around the hospital.

"Molly…" The red-head looked at Molly.

"Yes?" The short brunette with a kind face answered.

"About Dr. Charleston…"

"Chopper," the short girl corrected automatically.

Sanji's ears perked up immediately.

The red-headed girl smiled, as if a joke had just passed between them. "How are things?"

Molly blushed. "Barbara! Hush!"

Barbara smirked. "Oh come on…do tell."

"Things are...things are…" She blushed beet red and hid her face with her fingers, "…really good," she mumbled.

Barbara gave a big, happy smile that told the other she was ecstatic. "That's great! I am sooo happy for you, Molly!"

"OH stop it, Barbie, you're killing me…" Molly groaned.

"Hehe~ But it's soo much fun! You guys are obviously into each other. Even if he is out of school…I mean you're almost ready to graduate right? Early too, didn't you say?"

"Well yeah…but he's still older…I've always wanted a guy around my age…"

"Dude!" Barbara slapped Molly's arm, "Seriously?"

Molly grinned at her with a mischievous twinkle in her eye.

"Ohhh I knew you were playing me!" Barbara pouted.

Molly giggled. A nice, clear bell sound that instantly charmed Sanji. He smiled; glad for the little tanuki. But—wait—hadn't the other Sanji said that Chopper and Vivi were dating? Or had Sanji just misinterpreted it? Sanji decided it was most definitely the latter, as Vivi had Kohza. Sanji shook his head with another smile: yes…these two were absolutely perfect for each other. Molly sighed just then.

"Oh, Barbie…how am I going to tell him?"

"Chopper? Hmm…well…I guess there really isn't an easy way to tell somebody one of their dear friends is in the hospital."

Molly frowned. "But it's MORE than that. I got to see To—I mean Chopper—with Sanji…he looks up to him so much and I could tell they were super close…I mean Chopper is barely ever that open with anybody. Except maybe me and everyone else he hangs out with…but still…he'll be crushed, Barbie!"

Barbara stared straight ahead for a while. "I don't know, Hun…you'll figure it out," the older lady gave a soft smile, "you always do, my little intern."

*~xXx~*

Sanji mulled through his thoughts. He could tell that there were memories in that broken body hooked up to a machine in his hospital room…but he was almost too scared to witness them. Not only was it a breach of privacy in a way, but all that pain the other Sanji had suffered…seeing it first-hand or even experiencing it would be really difficult.

He felt a pulling sensation on his heart and followed it back to the room. He gasped in shock when he saw a black figure hunched over his body.

"Um…" He said. But it came out sounding like…a breeze…as if he hadn't really said it at all.

The figure stood tall and looked at him with pain in their eyes. A black hood covered most of their facial features and the loose robe disclosed nothing.

"You have a choice to make, Mr. Black." A voice soft and musical spoke hauntingly at him. The voice seemed to echo throughout the room.

Sanji blinked. "…Yes…?"

"If you choose to save this poor man's life…undoubtedly your own twin soul…the wish you have, we can grant."

Sanji floated (1) dumbfounded. "My…wish." He said stupidly.

The figure seemingly chuckled. "Yes…your wish. Such a selfless wish it is. However, you must repair that which has been broken. These two souls are connected and with one of them torn, the other is equally as broken. Even if he doesn't know it yet."

Sanji still didn't understand. "Repair…" It dawned on him. "You mean their relationship? I can't do that. Sanji…my twin soul…it'd break his heart to go through it again."

"Still so selfless…even in this life…yes, it could break his heart. Better that than his soul, though. Mr. Black, if you do not do as I ask the consequences could be catastrophic. This world would fall to pieces, and as it is parallel to your own…inevitably your world would soon follow its demise."

"Do I know you? I feel like I should…who are you?"

The figure smiled gently. And whispered, "I wish we still did, Sanji. I loved you so, after all. You will never remember me, but my name was Emily."

Sanji shuddered at the lovely voice, definitely feminine now that the echo-y mysterious thing was gone. The name sounded a bell deep within his heart and confusion was etched on his face. He tore through memory after memory of who she could possibly be.

"No…please do not attempt to recall…the results could be disastrous. It's a price I chose to pay and I do not regret it for a single moment. I am satisfied. Listen, if you are still the headstrong, selfless man I knew you as then please do not abide by the other Sanji's wishes…being apart from this man right here…it will kill him."

Sanji grimaced. "I have to forgive this stupid Marimo don't I?" he sighed. "Could you tell me why my body—er—his body is like that?"

"If you looked through his memories you would find out a great deal about what you need, and wish, to know. Again…I am so sorry for this, but you were needed in order for the magic to work."

"Magic…guess it's not the strangest thing I've come across. Alright, I agree…but as for my own wish…it's not my dream to find All Blue is it?"

"No," she smiled, "It isn't. And since your wish just changed I believe it's possible for us to grant the new one instead. Before you ask…the answer is: I am what you humans may refer to as a Grim Reaper. Thank you for assisting us, Mr. Black. Goodbye."

Sanji felt peace wash over him as Emily departed, as if some unknown part of his heart just had fulfilled something it'd been aching to do for a long, long time. Emily…Emily…he rolled the name around his tongue, but his thoughts flew back to her warning of not remembering. He sighed, conflicted.

He closed his eyes and thought that perhaps she was the reason he treated all women as treasures. The minute he thought that, he knew it to be true.

*~xXx~*

Zoro lifted his head from the bed. Memories flew back from ages ago. Memories of his misdeeds and of Sanji hit him head-on. He asked himself: Why? Why in the hell did you ever feel the need to cheat on Sanji? Why, why, why, why, why? It didn't make any sense at all. He knew he loved Sanji, knew he would blow up a country to make the other happy…so then…why? It didn't make any sense at all.

He groaned, but instantly froze when he felt a shift from the body lying there. A hand had twitched.

Zoro ran out of the room to grab a nurse.

*~xXx~*

Sanji had decided he may as well live through the guy's memories and connecting his ghost-like form with the body had sent sparks of electricity down his spine. He'd even seen that he was the cause of the sudden twitch in the body's hand.

Sanji slid his consciousness, slowly, into the body's to replace the missing one and he reached out for all the memories to come to him.

* * *

**A/N**: So, my dearsies….to avoid mass confusion what follows after this point is a like a memory within a memory. Er…actually I guess its more like a memory within a memory of a memory. Argh I just confused myself LOL.

the italicized is the memory within the memory. XD ANYWHO don't think of this part as the present. This is a memory—Broken Sanji's (the one who's with Zoro) memory to be exact. As well as the other person in a phone conversation.

I will mark the end of the memory with a line-y thing-y :D so as to avoid further confusion—please look for that.

Now… prepare… to cry. T.T (*** for a full depressing experience play the song "That Way Again" by Lee Brice as you're reading. Ah…but if you don't like country then I guess you might not want to –shrugs- *) **

* * *

Sanji woke up to birds chirping and sunlight streaming in. Life felt worse than usual today. Memories of last night came flooding back to him. He couldn't go five seconds without feeling teardrops roll down his face. His heart ached.

_Sanji hugged his knees to his chest. He had tried everything to get Zoro to give him at least a hint—a hint!—that he even loved him still or not. But Zoro hadn't been home in months. Some mission again, he'd said. And Sanji, ever the dutiful lover, had believed him. It made him feel so __**stupid**__. Ace had told him everything._

"_Zoro's at a bar," he'd said quietly. Sanji had raised an eyebrow, but didn't even suspect Zoro in the slightest._

"_Oh! He must've just gotten back!" Sanji smiled brilliantly. "I'll go find him!"_

"_No!" Ace had shouted. "You…can't…" _

"_Why in the hell not?" _

"_Because…" Ace had grimaced, eyes filled with pain, "it's not pretty, okay?" _

_Sanji had blinked. "What the fuck is going on here, Ace?"_

_Ace had dropped his head into his hands. "I'm so sorry, Sanji… I tried to tell him… but… oh my god, Sanji, I am so—__**so**__ very sorry! Zoro is…" Ace clenched his teeth together and hissed out, "… right now… he's cheating on you, Sanji." _

_Sanji sat there stunned. He couldn't believe it, of course, and just __**had**__ to go check for himself. And that had been the first time he'd officially caught Zoro cheating._

Sanji withdrew himself from the memory and cried harder. He bawled his eyes out and screamed his pain. He couldn't remember ever feeling this…broken. Sanji closed the curtains, drowning out the sunlight when it should have been raining, and curled back up on his bed. Every memory was like a sword—he snickered bitterly—to his heart.

"Why Zoro? Why…?" Sanji's voice cracked from disuse.

His phone bleeped. He didn't answer it—didn't feel like speaking to anybody. His heart had been smashed into little tiny pieces, and now he was stuck hurting himself trying to put it back together.

His phone beeped for a second time. Sanji closed his eyes and wished for the world to just leave him alone right now. Be it his nakama or Zoro himself…Sanji wasn't planning on going anywhere for at least a week. That was okay…right? He deserved that much right? Sanji gave a pained laugh. Zeff would probably beat him up for skipping work and not even calling.

Zeff…speaking of that old man and his restaurant…Sanji just realized his hunger was nonexistent. He vaguely realized—in some small part of his grief-stricken mind that remained reasonable—he needed to eat something. Food…

Another memory tore through his mind without mercy and caused him further torment.

Their last date…it'd been at the marimo's favorite restaurant; Sanji's gift for their anniversary. How long ago had that been anyway? 5 months? Longer?

A small sob escaped his lips. Zoro had proposed to him that day. Sanji smiled with tears in his eyes. He could remember it clear as day:

_The white tablecloth was pristine and brand new. The plates and silverware obsessively placed with perfection. Not a single thing was out of place. The wine glasses shone with blatant cleanliness and were just begging to be filled with whatever classy brand the waiter would bring out. _

_Sanji hadn't expected anything at all. He'd sure been surprised when he learned this restaurant was Zoro's favorite though. Sanji laughed. The marimo had probably just said that to make him happy, well it worked. _

_Zoro had gotten up to use the restroom and Sanji just preoccupied himself with watching the other tables and spacing out. He didn't even notice the carefully placed flowers that had arrived or the candles either. When Zoro sat back down, Sanji gave him his full attention and smiled one of those smiles that could make you feel like the most important person in the world._

_Zoro grinned right back, a blush rising on his cheeks. "Sanji," he cleared his throat, "I suck at this… I know you know I'm not the most romantic guy in the world, but I try, especially because it makes you blush." Sanji did so, almost on cue._

"_I love you, Sanji. I don't care what anyone else thinks. About us, or you, or me. All I know is that I love you and you're perfect for me. You're the best thing that ever happened to me, Sanji Black. You make me a better man. I'd destroy the world if it made you happy._

"_Sanji… I love that ridiculous smile you have whenever Luffy's done something stupidly funny. I love that adorable laugh that I hear when you're teasing me, I love those swirly eyebrows of yours that should be against nature."_

"_You're one to talk, Marimo." But Sanji laughed and blushed anyways._

_Zoro smiled, "I love the way you blush, the way your hair and eyes shine in the sun…like you're some treasure…my treasure. I love your cooking and those expensive three-piece suits you wear constantly. I love Saturday nights when you dress in sweats and can still look sexy without even trying. Sanji…I love everything about you and I can't picture a future without you…so…would you marry me, Sanji Black?" Zoro pushed a black velvet box across the table and opened it. _

_Sanji gasped and covered his mouth with his hand. Big, happy tears were threatening to fall. He laughed, "Baka marimo! Of course I'll marry you!" and wiped the corners of his eyes. Zoro surged up, got down on one knee, pulled the ring out of the box, and slid it on to Sanji's finger. Sanji hugged his marimo's neck and smiled so wide his cheeks hurt._

_He could still remember all the sighs and "awwws" from the females in the restaurant, then the claps and shouts of congratulations. He still remembered what Zoro had whispered in his ear as he got up from his knee. _

"_You owe me big for this tonight, Sanji."_ _He had whispered in a seducing deep voice. Sanji, of course, had blushed so red he turned purple._

Sanji snapped back to the present. Tears fell faster and his heart ached more. His phone rang. He'd set a different ringtone for each of his friends. The one playing now was Zeff's. Sanji wiped his eyes and cleared his throat. He reached for the phone and answered it.

"Hello?" His voice cracked.

"_Eggplant! Where are you?"_

"Home." Sanji cleared his throat again and tried to calm himself.

"…_What's going on, eggplant?" _

Tears spilled over his eyes again and Sanji hiccupped. "N-nothing. E-ev-everything is f-fine."

"_Doesn't SOUND fine, eggplant."_

Sanji sobbed freely now. "I—I—Zoro—"

"_Zoro? What did that shitty swordsman do now?"_

Sanji almost wanted to laugh but it came out as more sobs and Sanji couldn't speak for at least five minutes, but Zeff waited patiently. "H-he…h-he—! He's b-been ch-cheating on m-me…I…I feel so—so stupid." Sanji bawled.

"_He. Did. WHAT?" _The anger was evident in the head chef's voice.

"Ch—cheated…" The sound of things breaking could be heard on the other line.

"_Eggplant, listen to me: don't blame yourself, okay? None of this is your fault! You hear me? NONE OF IT. I swear to god I'll kill—"_

Sanji gave a small grateful smile, but his mouth released another sob. Sanji hung up the phone. He dropped it on the floor and for the first time in many hours, he got up from his bed and walked out onto the balcony.

He didn't know how long he stayed out there, but it must've been a long time, because by the time he returned to his senses it was nightfall. His doorbell rang.

Sanji threw on a hoodie and answered the door. It was Nami; he'd expected as much.

"Nami," he greeted.

Nami's eyes widened and she almost dropped the plastic bag she was carrying. "Holy shit, Sanji. You look like you just got hit by a bus." Sanji motioned her inside and she stepped over the apartment door's threshold.

"How bad is it?"

"Your eyes are bloodshot, your hair is so tousled it looks as if you were rolling in bushes or something, your nose is red, and you're wearing sweats and a hoodie."

Sanji winced. He suspected he looked horrible, but that was just… crappy.

"Sanji-kun…did you lose weight?"

He stiffened. Shit. When was the last time he'd eaten something? Yesterday?

"Sanji, you did, didn't you? What about a shower? Or sleep even? You've got darker bags than Law. You're pale too."

"Nami-san…"

"Don't 'Nami-san' me. Take better care of yourself, please. I'll fine you if you don't. By the way… have you been crying?"

Sanji dropped to the couch and gave a miniscule nod.

Nami went quiet. "Was it Zoro?"

Sanji drew in a sharp breath. He grit his teeth and nodded.

"God damnit. I'll kill that asshole."

Suddenly, it dawned on Sanji. Ace had known. Would it be so strange for Nami—or even—oh no. Was he the only one who didn't know?

"Nami. Did you know?" Sanji turned to look at her. She had flinched noticeably.

"Um…about what…?"

His eyes widened. She did know. "Who else knows?"

Nami bit her lip. "… I don't think they know. Suspect, maybe. But…I don't think they know anything."

Sanji buried his face in his hands. He had been the only one who was clueless. God he felt so stupid. Nami came over to him and patted his back; she sat next to him on the couch as well.

"Don't do that, Sanji-kun. You know it's not your fault."

"But what if it is? What if he's tired of me—or what if he hates me now? What…what would I do then?"

"… I don't know, Sanji-kun…but as far as I'm concerned if you don't kick his ass, Luffy's gonna do it for ya."

Sanji attempted a small chuckle. "No… I… I'll do it myself."

Nami looked at him blankly then held out her palm. "Five million berries. For trying to lie to me, Sanji."

Sanji didn't bat an eye. He just looked away and stared out the window. "Sorry, Nami."

Nami's heart broke. She'd never seen Sanji act so… empty before. Not even when he and Zoro had had a particularly nasty fight, which were often. Well. As often as you could get when your husband was only around for three months out of the year. Though… she had to admit, it certainly was ODD coming from Zoro. All this cheating on Sanji just didn't make any sense—definitely out of character for the swordsman. But pushing that aside, she'd just increased his debt to quintuple the interest and added another few million berries to it: simply because he'd had the gall to cheat. Never mind the fact that it was bizarre. Oh yes…payback was most certainly a bitch.

"Nami." Sanji's quiet, dead voice asked.

"Yes?"

"Could you go talk to Zoro for me?"

Nami pursed her lips. She bit her tongue from saying it'd cost him—no she wouldn't do that. The man had lost something much, much more important than money the other day. The last thing he needed was to be in debt.

"Sure, Sanji-kun. I'll talk to him."

Sanji slowly turned his head to her. His eyes were broken and numb. She knew what he was thinking though. Why hadn't she fined him? She smiled knowingly.

"Yes. Free of charge." She confirmed.

He gave another soulless smile and murmured, "That's great…thanks."

Nami frowned, enraged. She'd talk to Zoro all right, but it wouldn't be of the conversing kind.

***~xXx~***

* * *

**A/N: WHOOO! CHAPTER UPDATE! finally, right? XD well ya'll seeing as how school is back in business for me (seriously why couldn't the world end JK) **

**(1) = yes. he is floating. he's a spiritual entity right? he can't be on his feet. so thats it lol. **

**alrighty guys so i have a pretty decent idea where i'm going with this story, but seeing as how we're in the memory-recollection stage, i'd like to know what memories you guys wanna see. maybe some fluffy ones (yes. i can right fluff XP) or maybe some... risque ones (no smut tho i give teasers XD) i think i DID mention it before but this is ZoSan. primarily. i do like my pairings to be flexible ;)) every once in a while. **

**so. you do realize what this means, yes? Write. A. Review. Pweeeeeeeaaasssseeee~? *puppy dog eyes* **

**OKIE DOKIE updates for my other works. fortunately my terrible writer's block is finally gone. problem: my brain seems to be addicted to everything ZoSan. i'm running out of ZoSan fics guys T.T so for the time being mostly all of my posts are gonna be mostly ZoSan related. and chapter updates from here on out are probably gonna be irregular... so... GOMEN NASAI! *claps hands together in front of face***

**I HOPE YOU ENJOYED! :D**


	3. Memories: Part 2

**REVIEW RESPONSES~!**

**ajwehri: hahaha your welcome; no biggie. Glad I could be of service. ^^ -huggles- hope you like my next chapter as much as the last one! :D**

** 27CansOfTuna: / THANK YOUUUUU! OMG I'm so happy~ hehe~ muahaha you saw through me m'dear! I hope you enjoy this chapter too! ^^ **

**A/N: ...WOOO... more shitty f*ed up memories ahead. Enjoy. *Remember! this = NOT THE PRESENT -points to story below line- ***

**oh and the bolded " *~xXx~* " is saying that its changing from past to present. just thought i'd point that out.**

* * *

Sanji, the ghost, oozed out of the body to drift down and onto the ground; it felt like he'd had all of the energy sucked out of him. Well, geez, Zoro really was a bastard in this world if that memory was anything to go by. Sanji really, really didn't want to go back in there. What was there was so dark and depressing Sanji got chills remembering it again. Truth be told it was more negative than anything Perona's negative-negative ghosts could inflict.

Zoro had just returned with Molly and began telling her that Sanji's wrist had twitched not but moments ago. Molly wanted to believe him, truly she did, but she just...couldn't. Sanji Roronoa was practically brain-dead; movement was impossible.

Ghost Sanji rose to his feet, he needed to revive this body if he planned on getting anywhere with Zoro. And if that meant he had to relive every single shitty memory this guy had—then so be it. He dove into the comatose body for round two.

*~xXx~*

Nami rushed to the bar she knew Zoro was inevitably at. Oh...he was SO getting a piece of her mind...and her Clima-Takt... This was one thing that was totally unforgivable.

Nami burst through the doors of the bar to find Zoro sitting on a barstool conversing with the bartender. For some reason, Nami's anger left her and she calmly walked over to sit on the stool next to him.

"Blood Orange Bellini, please."

Zoro turned his head to face her, slowly.

"Nami," his gruff voice was hoarse and crackly, almost like he was losing it. He had deep bags under his eyes and his brow was furrowed with stress.

"What the hell, Zoro?"

"I don't know. Its just… something's weird, Nami."

She raised a brow and clenched her teeth in anger. "Yeah. Something's weird alright."

He stared at her. "What?"

"That's precisely what I'd like to ask you. What's with you? Why in the hell are you screwing around?"

Zoro looked confused. "What are you talking about? I woke up here like twenty minutes ago."

"Huh? What do you mean 'woke up'?"

"I was just asking the bartender how long I'd been here."

The bartender jumped in, "Yes, that's right, I told him he's been here for about two hours, perfectly awake and drinking himself senseless."

"Are you telling me you're having blackouts?" Nami looked to Zoro.

"Yeah. In the morning I'll wake up at some house that's unfamiliar, eat somewhere, and then… nothing. The rest of the day is blank. This is the first time I've been 'awake' since the morning," he sighed.

"How long have you been blacking out, Zoro?" Nami asked, her voice serious.

"Um… since…"

"Okay, let me rephrase that. What's the last thing you remember doing before blacking out for the first time?"

Zoro furrowed his brow deeper in thought, and then he smiled. "I was dancing with Sanji."

"Where?" Nami pried.

"Our reception?" Zoro looked at her as if it were obvious.

Nami paled and asked, "Zoro… how long has it been since then?"

"Uh… a week…? Why?"

That was bad. She gulped, "Zoro… that was three years ago."

"H-huh? Wh-what? That can't be! It's April 23rd 2008!"

"No… it's 2011."

Zoro sat dumbfounded. It couldn't be. "Then… Nami… what's Sanji been doing? Has he been alone this entire time?!"

"I think, Zoro, if you want to save your marriage you'd be better off talking to Sanji yourself." Nami slid off the stool and left the bar. She called Chopper.

"Chopper, I need you to call Zoro and get him to come in to see you."

_"Huh? Why, Nami?" _

"Because, for the last three years, Zoro hasn't been Zoro."

_"HUH? What?"_

"Zoro's been in a blackout since 2008, he remembers bits and pieces, but Chopper… he thinks its been a week since his wedding."

*~xXx~*

Zoro couldn't believe it. Three YEARS? How could that be? What had he been DOING? Zoro took out his cell-phone and dialed Sanji's number, which strangely wasn't in his contacts anymore. It didn't matter, because Zoro had the number memorized.

*~xXx~*

_Ring… ring… ring… brr-ring._

Sanji uncurled himself from the couch, where Nami had left him and went to look at the caller-id.

_Calling: BLOCKED_

Sanji's eyes widened. Blocked? There was only one number he'd ever block… and that person hadn't called him for… years. Many years. Anger griped Sanji, and in his rage he flipped open the cell-phone and hit the green "answer" button.

"…"

_"Hello? Hello?"_

Sanji's eyes widened. His anger now forgotten he realized how much he'd missed that stupid, gruff voice of his husband. The tears wanted to fall again.

He held them back though, and replied, "… Wh-what?" it wasn't his steadiest voice, but Sanji was content with it.

_"Sanji? Oh good, you picked up. Listen, we need to talk about—"_

Sanji grit his teeth. "There's nothing to talk about. You made your feelings about me perfectly clear three months ago. I thought I told you never to call again."

_"What? Sanji… what are you talking about? Never call again…? I don't understand…? Feelings? What feelings? Sanji, I love—"_

"DON'T GIVE ME THAT BULLSHIT, YOU PIECE OF SHIT! You have NO right. No right…to say…" Sanji hiccupped and the tears finally fell, "To say those things to me anymore. Not after… not after THAT… how DARE YOU?! You…you're one cruel son-of-a-bitch, Zoro. Never speak to me again until I say so. Until I say it's ok for you to talk to me." Sanji hung up and buried his face in his knees. He sobbed, and sobbed, and sobbed his heart out until he couldn't cry any more. He stayed that way, all curled up in a ball on the floor, for a long time.

*~xXx~*

_Bam. _

_…._

_Bam._

_…._

_KNOCK_

"Open the door, Sanji! So help me…! You've been in there for a week! Sir, please open the door…I'm really worried about him." Nami's voice came from behind the wooden door to his apartment.

_It doesn't matter._ He told himself.

Keys jingled in the lock as the man with her hurried to open the door. The door finally swung open and Nami had a heart attack when she saw him.

"OH MY GOD! SANJI?! SANJI?! CAN YOU HEAR ME?! Sir, please call an ambulance immediately! When they get here tell them to take him to Drum Hospital!"

"Y-ye-yes, ma'am!" The man ran out the door as fast as he could.

"SANJI!? SANJI?! ANSWER ME! PLEASE!"

_Why?_ _I don't want to, Nami…I'm so tired…_

"SANJI! Oh my god… oh my god… SANJI, please TALK TO ME!" She slapped his cheeks and felt his for his pulse. Her breathing increased and she searched the apartment for a blanket and put the ones she found over his limp body.

"Oh my god, Sanji… How long have you been LIKE this?"

_Who knows? Nami… I can't feel anything…it's so nice…peaceful…I think I'll just sleep… for a bit…okay?_

"Sanji? No, no, no, NO! Keep your eyes open! Stay awake, Sanji!"

The cook's eyes drooped, even though he was trying to keep them open… for her sake. Sanji shivered. The room had been blurry before… but now it really was and he was feeling numb now too.

"Oh thank god! He's right over there! Please… you…help him!"

_Huh? Why is Nami's voice so distant now…? I can't hear her… So tired…_

Sanji slowly drifted into darkness, his weakening pulse pounded hard in his ears. His eyes drooped even further and the last thing he heard was Nami screaming his name.

_I'll… sleep… now… _and a smile graced his lips before his body shuddered and he closed his eyes.

*~xXx~*

Nami sat in the plastic chair and stared at the wall with a tortured look on her face. The way Sanji's body had just… she shivered.

The state he'd been in when she'd found him with the landlord…that had been so terrible. He looked so skinny with the way the clothes just hung so loosely on his body, his cheeks had been hollow, his eyes bloodshot with deep, black bags beneath them; his vacant, almost dead gaze as he stared into nothingness. His hair hung long and limp against his feverish face, the color no longer vibrant and healthy, the pallor of skin was paler than that of a vampire's. She'd thought him dead. Until she saw the very faint rise of his chest and just one blink of his eyes…she'd really, really believed he was dead. Worst of all about that was how his body was just… laying there. In the middle of the room in the very same clothes she'd last seen him in two weeks ago.

Nami held her shoulders and tried not to cry. Then she heard what sounded like a stampede coming down the hallway. She looked up and even though it was so like them…she couldn't smile.

They skidded to a halt in front of her. Franky, Robin, Luffy, Brook, Chopper, Usopp, Vivi, Kaya, Ace—all of them…they were all there. Except Zoro. And that pissed her off so much she couldn't speak to them for over five minutes.

"Nami, Nami, Nami! What's going on?! We came as soon as the hospital called! What's going on?!"

"Luffy," her voice was hoarse, "Sanji died."

The whole world seemed to freeze as she said that. Luffy's mouth opened in disbelief, and there was such incredible _hurt_ in his eyes that it almost made her cry again. Almost.

"They…they said they were able to get his heart restarted, but…Luffy…he…his organs _failed_…that's what they said. They said he had multiple-organ failure. He… he was starving himself for two weeks, Luffy…and none of us knew. They don't even know if he'll make it through Sunday and its only Friday."

The group was quiet. Then Nami heard someone running towards them and she spun around to face him. If looks could kill, Zoro would be dead right now.

"YOU." She spat.

He came to a stop in front of her. "What?"

"YOU. YOU DID THIS!" She screeched.

Zoro stared at her perplexed. "What? I just got here from the airport…"

Nami hissed and screamed, "NO! YOU DID THIS TO _HIM_! HE DIED FOR THREE MINUTES, ZORO! Because. Of. YOU."

"Who…? Chopper just told me to get to Drum Hospital as fast as I could…"

Nami shook with anger. "Look around, Zoro. Who isn't here?" She spread her hands out.

His eyes widened. "Sanji? Sanji d-died?" Zoro's voice cracked.

"YES. Sanji did, Zoro. I thought I told you to FIX it with him! NOT make it WORSE!"

"I tried!" Zoro yelled right back, angry, "He yelled at me! He said I had no right to tell him I love him! He wouldn't let me explain! And he said that I 'made my feelings clear', whatever that means. THEN he says not to speak to him! So tell me, Nami, what should I have done, HUH?!"

"You… of all times to listen to him…you had to chose THEN? Why couldn't you have just…I don't know! Have been like usual?! The usual Zoro who doesn't listen to Sanji worth a crap! The usual one… who doesn't hurt the people he cares about!" Tears rolled down her cheeks. "You idiot…"

Zoro stood there shocked. "What…?" He looked around to his other friends. "Chopper…? What's going on? What does she mean?"

They all faced away from him, guilty looks on their faces. "Luffy…? Ace? C'mon, man! Tell me what the hell is going on?!"

Ace clenched his fists. "I can't believe it. You really don't know what could have caused this? Are you that fucking cold-hearted, Zoro? That you just _conveniently_ forgot what you did to him?"

"What…? No! I don't know ANYTHING! Chopper, tell them!"

Ace looked expectantly at the short medical-student who was currently wringing his hands. "It's true…" he mumbled quietly, "Zoro doesn't know anything."

"What?" The group said at once.

Nami nodded. "I confronted him two weeks ago. He said that he'd just 'woken up'. At that time, he'd thought he and Sanji had been married a week, and before that the last thing he remembered was dancing with Sanji at their reception."

The group stared at the doctor and redhead.

"Nami… are you serious?"

"Yeah, Luffy. I am."

"Well, what caused his amnesia?" Franky asked.

"We don't know," Chopper said sadly.

The group all sighed in relief and stared yelling out "I told you so" and knowing that something wasn't right. Zoro, however, collapsed into the plastic seat.

"What," he swallowed thickly, "what did I do?"

The group hushed quickly again. "I think, swordsman-san, that it is only fair to let cook-san tell you that." Robin mused.

Zoro groaned and rubbed his temples. "What _happened_ to me?"

Just then the doctor reappeared and gestured quietly to Nami. Nami looked at him confused, but followed him into the hospital room anyways.

*~xXx~*

Nami closed the door and was thrilled to see Sanji sitting up, propped against the pillows.

"Sanji!" She cried out gleefully.

The lithe male turned his head slowly, and what Nami saw broke her heart. "Oh…Sanji…"

Tears were rolling down his face in fast, steady streams. His shoulders quaked with tiny sobs and a hiccup tore itself from his lips every so often. The cook's eyes were still bloodshot, his nose running, and his skin still much to pale to be considered healthy. She petted his hair soothingly.

"Want to tell me what happened?" She asked carefully.

"… Zoro…" Sanji flinched at the name. "… He called me."

"And? What did he say?" Nami prodded just a bit.

"He basically acted as if he hadn't done anything wrong. Bastard even tried to tell me he loved me."

"Sanji, about Zoro… there's something you need to—"

"Shut up." Nami recoiled. Sanji _never_ talked like that to a girl. She couldn't believe it.

"Geez, Sanji. Calm down and listen to me! Zoro doesn't actually—"

"Shut up. SHUT up. SHUT UP!" He hollered and put his hands over his ears.

Nami quieted and just frowned at him.

"I… can't do this anymore, Nami. I can't do it! But I…I love him! I love him _so_ much…" He covered his face. "I don't know what to do…Nami…help me…" he begged her.

"Sanji-kun…Zoro _does_ love you he's just…he hasn't been himself since the wedding."

"NO SHIT! I _know_ that! You don't need to _tell_ me that! I knew it when we got home that night that there was something wrong! I knew… but I thought I was imagining things. I thought that there couldn't have been anything wrong. Look where that got me." He snickered bitterly.

Nami clenched her fists together. "Idiot! He loves you! What happened…what he did…_that wasn't him_! Listen to me god damnit!"

A shadow crossed over Sanji's face. "Nami. Don't lie. It's not…" he hiccupped, "It's not funny, Nami."

"I'M NOT LYING! It wasn't him! He was in a black out! It was like he was possessed by something! You know him, Sanji! He would _never_ do something like this without something supernatural being the cause! Sanji-kun, please… you must listen!"

Sanji turned to face her with dead eyes. "You're lying. Something like that…" He grit his teeth and tried not to sob, "…something like that couldn't possibly happen…!"

Nami turned and ran out of the room, slamming the door shut on her way out.

She walked up to Zoro, rage clear on her face. She pointed to the door and said with a malicious voice, "Get your _ass_ in there and _fix_ it. NOW."

Zoro gulped at her tone and rushed inside the room.

*~xXx~*

Sanji clenched the sheets in his hands. He didn't even hear the door opening again. But he felt that presence. He smelled that steely, sweaty, minty, and strangely musky smell that he'd know anywhere. If he thought back hard enough he could taste him again; he could remember the calloused palms and the uneven skin of that person's chest. And if he was feeling up to it: he could see the hazel eyes, the tan skin, the toned muscles—a brief smile—the green hair. He could hear the voice whispering his name in his ear at night. He could even feel those strong arms wrapping around his waist…

_Zoro's arms wrapped around his husband's waist with a gentle lovingness that you wouldn't expect of the swordsman. Sanji smiled knowing it was only him that could bring out that side of Zoro. He prided himself on that._

_The couple's feet were shuffling slightly in a dance. Sanji's own hands were placed on the older male's as they danced in a romantic embrace. Zoro then gripped Sanji's hand and spun him so they could waltz. _

_Sanji flashed the male a bigger smile—a grateful smile. Zoro hadn't wanted to take dance lessons for their wedding after all. The music changed to a faster beat; tango. It changed again to a salsa dance. The couple were spinning and twirling and sashaying and grinning at each other like there was no tomorrow. The beat changed and the couple danced the Macarena, the Cha Cha Slide, then the Russian Cossack dance that drove the crowd into hysterical laughter. Finally, the tune slowed as it returned to their first song and they ballroom danced across the floor. _

_Their eyes were filled with absolute love for the other. In that moment, there was nothing that could've torn the newlyweds apart. They lost themselves in the other's eyes and were completely oblivious to the murmured "awwws" coming from the crowd. _

_Nothing mattered more than the other in that magical, blissful moment of being one—of having their first dance. Sanji knew he'd ask Zoro if they could dance again like that. Knew that them dancing together would become a favorite pastime for them both. _

_To Zoro, Sanji was glowing…shining with sheer beauty. And he told him so._

_"You're beautiful," he whispered in the blonde's—__**his**__ blonde's—ear._

_Sanji blushed cherry red. To him, Zoro was the most romantic, most gentle, caring person on the planet. Utter devotion shone in his eyes for his other half. He just would not be complete without Zoro in his life. He knew he'd never be able to live without Zoro and he wondered how he'd done it before all of this. He couldn't remember the how he had lived before Zoro came along._

_"I love you," Sanji whispered back._

A tear slipped down his cheek.

Surprise, shock, astonishment, and guilt all clutched Zoro's heart as he watched his true love cry. Zoro went up to the bedside and sat in the chair. He looked down and placed his hand over the paler one still gripping the sheets.

"Sanji." He spoke softly, with gentleness.

The cook froze. His eyes moved to stare at the tan hand covering his own. He heard his name coming off those lips, speaking to him as they had on their wedding night. As they had when Zoro had been proposing. As they had when they were making love. As they had waking him from his slumber in the morning…as they had in his ear in the evening.

It'd been such a _long_, _long_ time since he'd heard his name spoken like that—in that tone. It melted his heart and made him fall for the stubborn swordsman all over again. He told himself that this must've been a dream. A dream of the nicest sort, the kind you never wanted to wake up from. And he prayed to every god he knew that this was not a dream. That he would not wake up to find the other side of his bed empty and a hole in his heart where Zoro's existence had been, as he had so many times before.

Another tear rolled down his chin and Sanji flung himself at the taller male, sobbing.

"You idiot, you idiot, you idiot! I hate you. I hate you. I hate you, bastard! Leaving for all that time… it's about time you came back, stupid marimo!" He tightened his arms around the other's neck and cried fiercely into Zoro's shoulder.

Zoro chuckled and held his lover to his chest. He smelled Sanji's hair and relief came to his heart. "Sanji, I need to tell you how sorry I am. I haven't been myself since the wedding… I don't remember anything since the wedding… I guess you can say it's like a blackout? Anyway, I'm so sorry, Sanji. For leaving you the way I did. It'll never happen again, I promise. I don't know what I did to make you cry, but please tell me I can fix it. …Sanji?"

He knew it. This couldn't have been a dream. No… this was much too sad and agonizing for a dream. This was an absolute nightmare. He pushed Zoro away and screamed.

"NO! BASTARD! GET AWAY FROM ME! I HATE YOU! THIS…THIS IS JUST A NIGHTMARE! LEAVE ME ALONE! Go…go away…please…go away…"

Zoro sat there shocked. "Sanji…? What…? This isn't a nightmare! What are you talking about?! Please look at me I—" Zoro grabbed Sanji's cheek to turn him to face him. The anguish he saw there made him release Sanji's face and tackle the lithe male into the sheets.

He cupped Sanji's head and yelled almost right by his ear. "You idiot! Wake up! Come back! This isn't a dream, I swear! Please…wake up! Realize I'm here, idiot!"

Sanji stopped thrashing to breathe and cry and look at the man who was holding him down. His eyes widened and his breath caught.

"Z-Zoro…?"

"Finally…" The older man smiled with relief. "You came back…"

"What…?" the blonde's brows furrowed.

"Sanji, you went hysterical for a minute there…really scared me…"

Sanji blinked and looked at Zoro confused. "You…you're…you…"

"Well of course I'm me! Who the hell were you expecting?!"

Sanji frowned and whispered, "Whoever it was that's been you for the last few months."

"Sanji, about that, I—"

"I don't want your apologies. I don't wanna know what made you go 'evil'. All I want is for you to leave."

"What…?" Zoro was hurt.

"Go. Now. I don't…I don't think I can ever see you again after what happened. It hurts too much. I don't wanna walk on eggshells, afraid that you'd return to being 'evil'. I can't live that way. So, I'm asking you to leave." Sanji put an arm over his eyes.

Zoro dropped down onto Sanji's legs. "I want to fix this, Sanji."

"I don't."

"Will you at least tell me what I did?"

Sanji did not answer for several minutes. "…No."

"Why not, damnit?!"

"Because. If you don't know then it's pointless."

"THEN GET ANGRY AT ME, DAMNIT! Punch me! Hit me! Do something other than…than…THIS!"

"…"

"Sanji. How am I supposed to atone if you don't _punish_ me somehow?!"

"I…don't have the energy to kick your ass right now. I don't think I ever will. Leave now, Zoro."

Zoro lifted himself off of Sanji's middle and onto the tile floor of the hospital.

"Despite what you think, I still love you. I've loved you since the day I asked you to hang out with me. I don't know what happened to make you doubt that, but I do. I love you with all my heart and soul, Sanji. Don't ever forget that." And then…the swordsman walked out of the room with hunched shoulders.

It took all of Sanji's willpower not to call out to him. With Zoro's retreating back, another piece of his heart died.

***~xXx~***

* * *

The "ghost" rose out of the body and sat on the edge of the bed. For a long time he just sat there, feeling numb. God, life sucked.

"You know what must be done now, yes?" The angel of death asked, appearing in front of Sanji's withered form.

"Yeah," he croaked.

The being smiled, "Excellent."

"How do I do it though? If the body I'm supposed to be in is a vegetable?"

"There is no need to worry about that, Sanji." The angel frowned, "you will fix their relationship, yes?"

"Yes," Sanji whispered miserably.

"In that case, we can fix this body here. Or at least, enough so that these two lovers can speak."

"You can't heal him all the way?"

"No…unfortunately…But we can wake him up. We can extend his lifespan."

"Wait…'extend'? What do you mean 'extend'?"

"You said it yourself: he's a vegetable. Most patients in a continuous vegetative state do not ever recover. He has been this way for weeks, and in a coma before that. Recovery is…unlikely."

"What? Weeks?! The last time I checked he'd only been a vegetable for a few _days_!"

"Memory viewing can take longer than expected. We can wake him up, but it requires a price."

"I already gave you a fucking payment! My service! I never wanted them to get back together! Because the other Sanji—the other me—asked me not to! I gave my word! I think my fucking service is _plenty _enough."

"You have already paid. I was referring to him." The angel nodded her head to Zoro.

"Zoro…? Why him? Why two payments?"

"You are right. Zoro has already paid his dues. How silly of me to have forgotten."

Sanji blinked, totally perplexed. "Huh?"

"Oh, never mind. This shall take some time, I'm afraid. Oh, your spirit must be in the body. Good luck, Sanji. We angels shall forever remember the debt we owe you."

Now Sanji was really confused. Which was slowly not becoming a concern any more. His body felt warm and he was getting sleepy. As his consciousness faded he was vaguely aware of a pulling sensation that was tying him to something. To what, was his last thought.

**~∞†∞~**

* * *

**A/N: T.T this chappie made me sad. Anyhow~ I will now point out the new symbol thing-y I used at the end of this chappie. If you will recall, it means "SANJI SWITCH" xDD haha…that's still funny to me lol…XD **

**I hope ya'll liked/loved this chapter! I don't have a Beta so sorry for any mistakes or minor confusion… if you have questions please leave a review! If you want to poor your heart into a review saying how much you hate me for being evil to Sanji and/or how sad ZoSan is in this fic, that's fine too ^^ Comments in general would be lovely since it feels like I haven't gotten very many reviews…. :( **

**but those who have and those who have followed this fic I THANK YOU~! ^^ 3 love you guys!**

**TBC**


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